Hakoda deserves love or the forgotten tree
by M.Shelley
Summary: basically a Hakoda x oc fanfic. Her name is toreth which means "Forest", and yes, it has a slight LOTR-touch (read the author's note at the beginning). I thought it sweet. Rated M just to be sure.
1. Chapter 1

Katara was wandering the swamp when she suddenly lost all hope. She fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands. She began crying, she thought she was all alone in the swamp all of her friends were gone and probably forgot about her and she never would make it out of this doom.

A form appeared behind her, separating itself slowly from the trees. Katara did not see it, but suddenly felt a hand touching her shoulder and a soft voice whispering in her ear. "Do not be afraid child of man. I will show you the path to your friends."

She looked up in fear and saw a tall, beautiful woman reaching down to her. She had black hair that hung from her head in wavy curls. Her skin was a deep brown, darker than even the watertribes were and it seemed ageless. Her eyes were of a dark green, which seemed to be almost black. The woman wore strange clothing of green and brown color, and a short knife on her belt.

As she saw that Katara was too afraid to even speak she ran her hand threw Katara's hair and the girl fell fast asleep in the middle of the mud. Then she lifted her up and in the darkness of the night laid her besides her brother.

Afterward Toreth walked among the trees of this swamp which were strange to her. Thinking about what she just did, about the consequences of her deed, and considered it good. She did not come across humans or swamps that often but she found she managed pretty good this time.

But how should she go on?

Her forest was burned to the ground by the fire nation. What was a home to her did not exist anymore. Nobody cared for her. The thought just shot through her mind, she could not avoid it. Dryads were hunted by humans, it had always been that way. At least as long as everybody remembered.

Toreth did not understand why. She did not do anything to them, so why would they hurt her, kill her, burn her? She shivered at the thought of the flames that consumed her mother, her pain, her screams.

She shooed her thoughts away, thought about the girl she found. She had never seen a human like her before she saw her a few weeks ago. She followed her and her friends. They would need help, she felt it. But now she helped enough for this time. Maybe they would meet again, sometime in the future.

A sudden smell reached her refined nose. Salty, with a hint of adventure. She decided that she would follow it. Out of the swamp, out of the woods, it would truly be an adventure.

When she woke up in the morning Katara jumped at finding Sokka next to her. She told both of her friends her story but they would not believe her.

 _Author's Note: Lately, for some unknown reason, the thought occurred my mind that there are billions of stories about a lot of Avatar-characters having a relationship, but almost none(compared to e.g. Zutara) about Hakoda having a relationship with not Kya nor Ursa. Therefore I wrote this story, which is about Hakoda having a relationship with a woman who is not as usual as he might think he is. It has a slight LOTR-blend in it, but only because it mentions Ents._


	2. Chapter 2

She wandered along the beach, her toes sinking a little bit in the sand every time she made a step. Her thoughts still circled around the young girl and her companions. The girl's skin was almost as dark as hers, darker than the usual Earth Kingdom citizen. Where did she come from? And where is she now?

She wondered about herself, why did she care for a human girl that she only saw a short time? The girl was meant to mean nothing to her, according to what happened to her mother, maybe even less, but she could not deny that she wanted to take care of her. She looked so alone, so in need of someone who did care about her, where were her parents when she needed them?

Suddenly she stopped, her mind noticing it a second after her body reacted. There was a movement in the water, soft, not noticeable to most beings. A ship was arriving, two ships. Quickly she hid behind a rock next to the beginning of the woods and spied around it.

She knew what Fire Nation ships looked like, but these were different. They were made of some unknown material to her. It kind of looked like wood, but then again not. And it had big pieces of cloth hanging from what looked like a tree in the middle of the ship. _Blue,_ she thought, _blue cloth._ This color was so rare in the Earth Kingdom. _How refreshing…_ but where did they come from?

When the ships landed men emerged. Toreth had to force herself to stay quiet, they all looked kind of like the girl she saved, especially one. He stuck out, because the others asked him things much more often than they asked the others. He seemed to be some kind of chief.

She watched them set up a camp site, silent and save behind the rock.

One of the man, the chief came suddenly in her direction. Silent panic overcame her. _He can't see me, he can't,_ she repeated in her head ever and ever again. Her hands reached out to the rock and slowly transformed in roots and branches, as if she was a tree that grew here on this rock for all eternity.

He came until she could feel his breath tickling the foliage that grew from her wood-like form. She expected him half to kill her right away, just because he was a human and she was not. But in the next moment he took out some kind of paper, a map. He threw it over the rock to have a better look at it. A second man came up to him and they discussed a few things. As far as Toreth could tell they wanted to advance to some kind of bay to defend it from Fire Nation ships. _Foes of the Fire Nation, good…_ Not that they would not kill her in the Earth Kingdom too, if they caught her that is, but a foe to the Fire Nation more meant at least the war was not so easy to win for them, and what was good for the world was good for all beings on it.

The other man, she silently called him Co-Chief, made a few suggestions about how the should exactly sail and then went away. Chief folded the map again, while doing so he touched her transformed fingers and she shivered. Somehow he must have felt that, because he stared at her intently for what seemed like an eternity to her. She somehow could not control herself anymore and opened her eyes that bore into his.


	3. Chapter 3

They just stared into each others eyes for several minutes. One of the men must have noticed his chief not moving an inch for a longer time and called over, "Is there anything, Chief, or why are you doing nothing, while we do all the work for you ?". Several men laughed. It was not mean, Toreth saw, it was just a joke among them. She thought he would now give her position away, but he did not, he said simply, "No. There is nothing.", and walked away to help the men set up a camp.

When night had approached Toreth slowly came out of her hiding. She watched the men talking around the fire, laughing and two of them were even dancing.

Eventually they all went to bed and she started to head for the camp. She walked among the tents, not making a sound, and stopped right before one. Slowly she opened the entrance, the man was asleep already. Moving slowly she got near him. She swung a leg over his form, now she was standing above him. Slowly she got down to her knees. She moved on her hands and knees until her face was on one level with his. In one fast movement she held her hand over his mouth.

He awoke in an instant by the sudden weight on his face and looked in her eyes with shock-widened eyes.

She held a finger in front of her own mouth, "Shhh...". Then her face got down next to one of his ears and he heard her whisper: "I just wanted to come thank you. There are not many humans like this.", thinking about it she added, "You might know, two months ago I saved a girl from a swamp and carried her back to her friends. The girl had your eyes." .

Hesitantly he moved one hand up and uncovered his mouth, her skin felt cool like fresh water. Now he was whispering in her ear, "Who are you?", to secure her stay he moved the hand over her hand and this way pinned her face to the ground. She shrieked a little, but answered silently, "I am Toreth, the last of the dryads in this world, and who are you?", she ended with a small chuckle. "Hakoda, chief of the Southern Water Tribe. What are you saying about a girl that had mine eyes?"

"I said what I said. I saved her in the swamp, she will be save among her friends, do not worry about her."

"Of course I worry about her,", he said a little angry, " What would you expect, I am her father.".

Toreth suddenly sat on him, looking down on his laying body, "My own father did not care the slightest about me, he told the Fire Nation, where my mother was.", there was a tone in her voice, sounding like a hundreds of years old tree, an angry tree.

"If I meet him I would let roots grow all the way through him."

"You can do that? Making plants grow?", he tried to ignore the part of his body she sat on.

"Sounds like a great wonder in your words. Yes, I can make plants grow and I can heal things, plants and people, but as it happens, more plants than people and never myself."

"If you can heal, why are you the last of your folk?"

"They burnt us."

"The Fire Nation?"

"No, the Earth Kingdom as well. They do not trust us, they say we could hypnotize men and let them do sins."

"Sins?"

"Yes, sins.", okay, he tried, but his evil self had won as her mouth came near to his again.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: I'm finally getting reviews! Whoever was this guest, Thank you! I'm in HEAVEN!_

 _According to the tone in the last chapter Hakoda is too, isn't he? I hope to get more reviews, I like them, good or bad is not important…. Let's see how the story proceeds._

It was one of those mornings when you hear birds singing and music play somewhere in the distant. He had heard about people awakening like that, but never experienced it before.

Hakoda felt a weight on his shoulder, his arm was already going limb. He looked down and saw the beautiful woman next to him. During the night she must had cuddled up to him. Then he looked around in the small tent. _Good thing,_ he thought, _that there was not much in here._ That little bit that was in was pretty much in disorder.

He felt her stir, still laying on his arm. Carefully not to wake her he laid a hand on her head and stroked threw her curvy, pitch black hair. It was a part of her which made her stand out from other women, he thought, it was a more intense black, like a lacquered casket. _We must be totally crazy, we just met the other day and now we're already in bed together._ , he thought, lightly kissing her on the forehead.

"Mhmm...", came from under his head. Hesitantly she opened her eyes and looked up to him through thick lashes. Then she stroked his chest and let her head fall against his shoulder again, attempting to just go on with sleeping.

He chuckled and started to kiss her awake. Slowly she started to return his kisses. And soon after that she sat on him again. Through kisses he managed to say, "No, me top this time.". She protested, but they were both interrupted by a voice from the tent entrance, "Can I join?".

Bato, that was Co-Chief's name,went out again and readied the men for the thing that was to come. He said, during the night Hakoda seemed to had meet a woman, a healer with special powers. He let out that he seen them in bed, but the men knew that they were overnight together in a small tent…

Inside the tent they both grabbed their clothes hastily and after quickly dressing they stormed outside.

Only to be greeted with a warm, unison , "Morning Chief!", from the men.

Toreth had to introduce herself to them, but no one protested against her being a dryad, they were all fine with her coming with them. A healer could be useful, whatever her special powers were.

Afterward Hakoda hold a little speech explaining that they would travel north and the west to a certain bay. Toreth had agreed to come with them without thinking twice about it, even if she did not understand anything about ships and sea and so on.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: Dearest Reader(s), since you are a guest I cannot address you by name. So, to the nice person who writes the reviews._

 _1\. I love you! Feel cuddled!_

 _2\. Bato did know she was a healer, because they told him. He did not walk straight back out, they had to explain him, well, a little bit. I just did not write this conversation, because I found it funny to let him only say 'Can I join?'- Enough explained? If not, you know how to contact me._

 _So, let's go on with it!_

Toreth was fascinated. The ship sailed over the flat sea with a nice speed, she thought, of course if she ran she could be as fast, but she could not watch the captain all day if she did. This way she looked at him giving orders and guiding the ship over the water, looked at the peaceful sea and looked back again.

She felt her hair waving in the wind and almost forgot everything that bothered her on land. Toreth decided that she liked being on a ship. When she entered it it was a little scary, but now it seemed nice. She saw that Hakoda was in his element, he really liked sailing like this, even if he said he liked it far more to be with his family.

 _His family,_ she thought, _it seems to be the most important part of his life._ All he cared about was protecting them. Toreth wondered what this Kya was like. If she had been like her or completely different. He told her that she was dead and she saw the mourning in his eyes, saw that he would ever miss her. It hurt her a little bit that she would never be the only one to him, but then again it was not important to her, if she could be with him few things were.

 _Maybe I am just in a certain age,_ she thought, _maybe he is too._

They were sleeping under the deck when she felt as if the ship was thrown apart. She ran up, her eyes wide and full of panic and shock. She saw Hakoda standing near the far end of the ship yelling orders at the hastily running men. Suddenly she did not like traveling like this so much anymore. As a big wave hit the ship they were all thrown left and she quickly grabbed a hold on the mast. A few men were even thrown off the ship. If they could not save them they would not survive this storm for sure, but it did not seem like they could. Eyes full of tears Toreth stood there clenched at the mast, just staring at them. Then she thought about what she could do, thought about the little roots she kept with her when they sailed.

She grabbed them and quickly they began to grow. One of them she swung around the mast, just so she would not be swept off. Then she let the others grow far longer and threw them to the men in the water. Surprised they took them and she managed to get them back on board. Breathing heavily she looked at them, one was hurt pretty badly. Something had hit him, there was blood over most of his body. She secured him next to herself with roots and knelt down beside him. Afterward she laid one of her hands on his body and a green light emerged from it. Seconds later the body of the man was all glowing. The light form extended where parts of his body were missing and when the light faded he was all well and sleeping soundly again. Toreth leaned against the mast. She was exhausted. For years she had not done so much with her magic, and now so much at once.

Soon afterward the storm was over and she was the one setting a foot on the ground again first when they landed. She sank down to her knees and slung her arms around her thin form. She shivered and in the next moment strong arms were around her. She looked up in his worried face. "You did too much, didn't you?", he asked. She answered whispering, "No, it is just… I did not do so much for such a long time. I should invest more time in training..."


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note:_

 _Dear Reader, I'm glad that you stay tuned like this for every chapter (I'm actually wondering how you manage this without a story alert, don't you have a live? ;) ). Well, English is not my native language too, so maybe I'm not the best example for written English… I just wanted to thank you this way, I don't know who you are, but you seem to like writing reviews. I appreciate that, I like explaining things that might be unclear. When I write a story/ chapter I ever doubt myself if it was good or if it even made sense and when no reviews come I'm ever like 'Holy shit! They don't like it, no, they don't!' (you see my hands hyperventilating, don't you?), so again Thank you, reviews are pretty rare, you know?_

After a few days she had fully recovered. One morning she wandered off the beach and towards the hills behind. Hakoda saw her go and thought she would leave permanently. First he was sad, he looked at the ground and wondered about what he had done to make her go. Then he ran up to her, his breath shaking when he was eventually up to her. She turned to him, surprise plastering all over her face. "Hakoda.", she said simply, slightly worried about what might could have happened that made him run so fast. He took her arm and said while gasping "Don't … go… you… please… don't...". Quietly she hugged him tightly. So they stood for a while, enclosed in each others arms, afraid to loose the other one if they let go.

After what seemed like an eternity he broke away still holding her arms, "I cannot afford to loose someone I love. Again.". She would have laughed, but there was this sincere tone in his voice, that forbid her to even dare a try. Instead she answered, "I cannot too, so you better watch out with all your fighting against the Fire Nation.".

Slowly they walked back to the camp. At it's border she stopped suddenly, "Ah, I forgot something I wanted to do before I return.". He looked at her questioningly, "And what would that be?", without wasting another word she leaned in and kissed him.

Back in the camp they saw that the spies Hakoda had sent out returned, a ship was on it's way towards them. Hakoda gave a signal and the men all started to prepare for the battle in a well known routine.

Toreth and Hakoda returned to their tent and did so too.

"You stay away from the fight. You stay here, whatever happens out there."

"No, I'm not. If you're in danger I want to be there to help you.", she put on a pair of what looked like wooden plates for her arms. He stared at her for a moment.

"Where did you get those?"

"What?"

"Those.. whatever they are.", he pointed to the plates.

"Oh… those. I made them.", and as she saw that he did not understand her she added, "I let them grow out of plants I found around her."

"oh." , and as she saw that he still stared at her like somewhat marvel, "Where do you think I get my clothes from? From the local wood tailor?".

Toreth was really thankful when one of the man entered and asked, "Chief, ready? We gotta go."


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's Note:_

 _Dear Reader/ Guest that is reading these chapters daily,_

 _You make me interested. I don't know who you are, but you seem to have quite an interesting sense for literature. Why don't you write your e-mail address in the next review so we can communicate in private and not my part "on stage". Nothing against you, but you know, I also would find a discussion or something with you interesting, but I can only contact you via this. This is a little in-useful. Also I don't want to bother other readers with my private communications. In case you were a fanfiction member, we could simply use private messaging, but since you're not… Anyway I think I like you nevertheless writing me reviews daily *imagine me kissing you lightly on the cheek*._

The Fire Nation ship was bigger than Toreth had thought. She imagined the little ones she saw earlier in her life, but this one was at least as twice as big as these. She wondered how the little Water Tribe ships wanted to manage to sink it. And suddenly she was afraid until she remembered, he had done so a lot of times earlier in his life without her. He would manage this time too, would he not?

She wanted to be as concentrated as she could when they approached the ship.

The bombs she and Hakoda invented together were thrown towards back of the fiendish ship. She was some kind of proud about them inventing together. It had a nice ring to it. He had asked a few evenings before, he had an idea and wanted to try it out. It turned out he found wild pumpkins and wanted her to make some kind of slime out of plants or whatever she wanted that stung really, really awful and fill it in the pumpkins. First she wondered what he would want with that, but when he explained she understood, it would make it easier for them. The bombs were like glue in the propellers of the other ship and like stink bombs to the men on board. She had not even known that there were propellers…

A few minutes afterward she saw the other ship shivering and finally stopping, the men ran up on deck and now jumped into smaller boats before the big one sunk. She remembered wolfs hunting like the Water Tribe ships waited for the smaller boats to come. When they met one terrible battle started. At last her ship was also in combat. Toreth tried to stay out of it, just healing the wounded Water Tribe men and not getting hurt, but as she saw a soldier ramming a big sword through Hakoda's chest she felt hatred glow inside her. She stormed across the ship towards him and grabbed the roots in her pocket.

The Fire Nation soldier only laughed about this seemingly unarmed woman in her rage. Then she sprung and her feet hit his chest. He was thrown to the bottom and she towered above him. He looked into her eyes and suddenly he was afraid, he had heard about woman like these. Wood witches, seducing men and killing them if they had what they wanted, but this one did not seem to want seducing him. She stood above him, pure hatred in her eyes and face, but quiet. She knelt down to him and removed his mask. She laid a hand wide spread about his face in an absolutely calm movement. Then he saw something green next to her hand moving, it was too near to his eyes to see it right.

When he felt something bore threw his skin into his cheek he screamed in terror. Slowly something moved through his body. He screamed even louder. The screaming endured several minutes. All the other fighting stopped. They all looked at her, her hatred visible for everybody, the man beyond her crying out of pain.

Then she removed her hand. The screaming stopped. He was all quiet now. Fire Nation and Water Tribe felt both the same shiver run down their spine.

Toreth ran up to Hakoda's side and knelt beside him. She stroked the hair out of his face, and smiled at him being conscious, he smiled back. As she laid her hand on his body the green light emerged and soon he was all well again. She still smiled at his now sleeping form.

Meanwhile one of the other Fire Nation soldiers walked over to the one she unmasked. When he got near to him he brought his face up close and suddenly shrieked back screaming. He knelt down in front of Bato and hastily stuttered, "We surrender.", he even held out his wrenches. The others hastily mimicked him when they saw what happened to their comrade. Out of his skin perked little roots, the eyeballs were completely gone, there were just roots back in the holes and the mouth, opened to a last scream was full of clover.

The Water Tribe men were not so shocked, they knew about her power as well as her emotionality and her love for Hakoda. It was a logical result, all in all. Bato commented, "Well, maybe we should exhibit him at the entrance to the bay, then we would have here no Fire Nation ships at all in case she stays here. It would be like,… Serpent's Pass.", but Toreth herself was not happy at all about this comment.

Silent she just went off the ship when they landed and sat next to the sleeping Hakoda in his tent.


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note:_

 _Dear Reader, the one who knows he/she is meant, Sorry, that was not my intention. I was just like, "What will the other readers think of me?", and you know a little panic, because I have no ability than to post a new chapter if I want to say something in our conversation and I am afraid that this might cause harm to the story, you know. I did not think about the fact that if you posted your e-mail it would be public, I just get the reviews via e-mail and, you know, don't think about it… I just feel a little helpless, but that's okay I think. Maybe we can find some other way? PS: A kiss from Toreth to all the people reviewing! Anyway, no time to loose._

"Hi", was the first thing he said when he woke up. He saw her smile, that somewhat turned sad, and reached up to cup her cheek. "You did something to him,… the man that wounded me,… I heard him scream,… you punished him, am I right.", she nodded sadly in agreement, a single tear rolling down her other cheek. He drew her down, close to him, hugged her tightly and stroked threw her hair while she cried.

"You know, I didn't want to… kill someone… I-I-I feel so… terrible….but if I had lost you, I couldn't… bear to… you know..", she said in between sobs.

The men in the camp heard her crying, it was the saddest sound they had ever heard and they felt pity for her, but no one dared to step in.

Weeks went on and on. Toreth now did as Hakoda said and stayed at the camp when ships were seen. One day, despite the spies Hakoda had set out, an unexpected visitor came to the camp.

Toreth had gone to a nearby village, they wondered about it, she was not known for such behavior. The last days she was moody, she went out to the beach to uncommon times and seemed to wander around a lot. She had once nearly missed an attack. And now she was going to a village.

Hakoda was in the main tent when Bato entered and the visitor followed. He looked up and wondered if his old eyes were tricking him. His son stood there, smiling broadly at him. He was unsure at first but then they hugged each other tightly. For what seemed like hours they talked. They talked about the war and Katara and the bombs… last Hakoda mentioned Toreth.

Sokka's expression completely changed when he heard that his father had a new woman in his life. Suddenly he was cold and seemed hurt.

It was around this time that Toreth came back, she was quite happy as she did so. Then Bato told her about the visitor and all of sudden she got very nervous. She overheard them arguing and flinched when she did. His son was not really nice to her. Because of her he doubted his father's love for his mother, for his family even, she thought that would hurt Hakoda the most. And it did, she heard that. Toreth did not want to cause any trouble in his family. So she decided to go, like she had done many times before, leave, before she could bring unspeakable harm to them. She hastily wrote a letter in which she partly explained her actions and her feelings, she left one minor detail, but she thought if he did not know he would be happier.

She walked back to Bato and gave it to him, "Here give that to Hakoda, hurry before his son is gone and tell him, he must immediately read it.", then she stormed off at a supernatural speed, leaving a perplexed Bato behind, not wanting to be seen crying.

Bato did as he was told, even if he had an idea what the letter was about, the conversation between father and son hardly could have been ignored anymore. When he stepped in Sokka was half out of the tent but he stopped him, making sure he did not go off so fast, and handed Hakoda the letter, "Here, Toreth said I should hand you this immediately before Sokka is gone. She just left, but we won't catch her anyway. She ran away with a speed even the ships can hardly match. So you can read the letter and not storm off behind her.", he said, his grip around Sokka's shoulder tight his voice a little louder in the end because he knew his friend and saw that he had that in mind.  
Hakoda's face went pale when he read the letter. Afterward he sank down to his knees, covering his face with one hand, the letter in the other. It was the first time after the death of his mother that Sokka saw his father cry.


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's Note:_

 _You serious? I posted like half an hour ago the last chapter! You are lucky that I don't find a free live stream for tonight's soccer game (Germany – Georgia). So here is the next. PS: What does "Bummer" mean?_

Toreth had stopped running when she reached the wood. She cuddled up to an old tree and felt asleep crying. She did not want to break his heart, but she did not want to destroy his family either. _His family,_ she thought and touched her still flat stomach. It won't be long, she thought, and it won't be flat anymore…

She did not tell him that she was pregnant in the letter, that was the minor detail she left out. It was the reason she visited the village. She smiled sleepily threw her tears, even though, she would give this child all the love she had to give, no matter what.

Then she finally fell asleep.

After a few days she had suddenly some strange feeling, the feeling that she was needed. It was a strong feeling, it caused her to walk back towards his camp.

Toreth saw the girl she saved so many months ago. She carried the Avatar in her arms crying. Toreth could see the pain in her face and the wound on his back, he must be as good as dead. She ran up to them ignoring everyone around her, she just appeared and took care of him. The Water Tribe members stared at her, but she ignored them, concentrating on the boy in front of her, she would not let him die. Green Light shone. As it faded Katara was next to her in an instant. She looked down on Aang, the wound was still there, but it was visibly smaller and he started breathing again.

Suddenly Katara did not notice the arm of the woman next to her pushing against hers. Toreth fell. She was so exhausted, she had gave him everything she could, and now she had to pay the price, _Hopefully the baby is alright. I really hope so. It has to be,_ was the last thought she had.

Katara hastily cared for Aang's wound and then turned to her. She quickly took a look on her body. The woman was unconscious, but had no signs of physical harm on her body. She would give her a healing session as soon as she had any energy left.

Hakoda had watched the scene like paralyzed. The woman he loved and thought lost suddenly appeared in a nightmare-like scene, healed the apparently dead Avatar and then fell unconscious herself.

Like a robot he took her up in his arms and carried her in his tent. There he tucked her in his sleeping bag and kissed her on the cold forehead. He really hoped that she was okay.

Then he went back outside. Katara had tucked Aang in a similar sleeping back taken from Appa's back.

Then he, Bato and his children discussed, what was now to do. Sokka felt guilty. He apologized to his father for his behavior back when they met earlier, but he simply said he should apologize to Toreth instead. Now they needed to think of a way out of this situatuion.


	10. Chapter 10

_Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! I love y'all so much!(And I ever wanted to write "y'all")_

 _Time for a short celebration! This is chapter 10! Woohoo! Okay, enough celebration._

Toreth woke up and only saw red above her. Alarmed she almost jumped out of the bed and nearly fell all in again. She was held up by two hands, not his hands, she immediately knew. Thoughts were racing threw her head with a dashing speed. She was in a Fire Nation room, with someone holding her she id not know, and she was naked.

Then she heard an exhausted sounding voice from behind, "Toreth, please. It's me, Katara."

She turned and watched Hakoda's daughter with surprise. "Why..", her voice trailed off as her gaze wandered across the room, she let Katara tuck her in again and all of sudden she was thankful for the blankets to cover her body.

Then Katara began to talk,

" We are on a Fire Nation ship, because we needed a way out of Ba Sing Se and we figured out it would not have worked with the Water Tribe ships, so we captured one of theirs. Aang is still sleeping. He though will need healing sessions afterward. I undressed you, because I wanted to check if you are wounded, you passing out scared me. I also did a small healing session, and I found..", she looked up in Toreth's eyes. The dryad nodded in agreement, "Yes, I am with child. Did you tell, uhm, your Dad?", Katara looked to the ground, slightly angered by the thought of her father, "No, I did not tell him, besides you are not with child,", Toreth's eyes widened in fear, "You are with twins.", Katara added with a small smile. Toreth fell back in the cushion. She looked up to Katara in disbelief, "Really?",

"Yep.",

"No chance, you are wrong?",

"Absolutely none. You happy?",

"I think so", the older woman added, but with no happy voice. _Twins,_ she thought, _how am I going to manage two at once?._ Then she turned to Katara again, "Katara, is everything alright?"

"Yes, why?", the girl answered angrily.

"You look pretty exhausted. Why don't you rest for a while and I search for some clothes?"

"I,… yes, maybe you are right."

They switched places and this time it was Toreth tucking Katara in. Sleepily the girl said, "I have one last question."

"Yes?"

"Why did you save me the first time, I mean, did you know about father back then."

Toreth smiled, "No, I did not know about his very existence. I just saw a girl who needed some help. Yet, I am glad I helped."

"This may sound crazy, Toreth, but I like you."

"I'm glad to hear that, Katara, now rest."

"Okay.", Toreth dimmed the light and searched for some clothes, she only found Fire Nation men's clothes, but it was better than walking around all naked, wasn't it?

So she dressed in some trousers and a training shirt, and made a makeshift girdle from a thin coat. She slipped in a pair of high boots and walked outside. Toreth walked around in the lower ship, looking in every room she walked by. She found Aang's room and gave him a little bit of her energy, just so she would not feel the affects again.

Then she found the kitchen. Her stomach growled and so she searched for something edible. There was rice and a few bites of some meat and a few herbs. She immediately started cooking.

While she was all busy making a meal, Sokka came into the kitchen. He had smelled it from the upper deck and wondered who might be cooking. They did not cook with the things they found at the lower deck, because they did not exactly know them and well, how they were supposed to cook them, but this smelled irresistible. Guilt struck him when he saw who was cooking. He watched her for a while. When she was going to start eating she turned and saw him. She smiled at him, "Hello Sokka, do you want to eat with me? I seem to have cooked enough for a whole army.".

He did not need anymore invitation. The next second they both sat on the table and ate.

When he had too finished his meal he suddenly looked very sad, "Toreth, I-I just wanted to say, uhm, I'm sorry about, uhm what I said,.. back there, … you know.".

"It's okay, Sokka."

"Really?"

"Yes, I thought about it, and maybe your reaction was quite normal. But I will remind you every now and then that you did not believe your sister about me.", she answered with a broad grin.

They hesitantly hugged each other for a short moment, then Sokka took her hand and led her onto the other deck. There he walked up to his father, "Dad, I was wrong. She's gorgeous!", he exclaimed happily. Hakoda turned to his son, surprised about his statement he stared at the woman behind him. Sokka left them alone and Toreth walked close up to the man she loved, smiling.

"How did you do... that?", was the only thing that would find the way out of his mouth.

She shrugged, "I was hungry, so I made something to eat and he joined me.",

"Oh, that explains everything.", he said laughing, then he looked in her eyes and said, "I'm glad you're alright.", she kissed him as an answer. When they parted she said, "I…. need to tell you something…. "

"Yes?", but as she wanted to start a call was heard, "Fire Nation ship! Everyone get on your positions!". He shoved her back in the direction she came from, "Quickly. Hide under deck, we'll deal with them. Whatever happens, don't come out until they are gone, will you?", she only nodded as an answer.


	11. Chapter 11

_Author's Note: Wow, I am really thankful for all the affection and the nice reviews._

The other Fire Nation captain was on board, he talked to Hakoda. Toreth hid mortified in the doorway. They seemed to buy everything Hakoda said, but just as they walked the metal bridge again she heard one of the guards tell him, that Hakoda was wrong, she heard the captain reply and hastily gripped Toph's shoulder, who hid next to her. Not caring if anybody heard her she shouted, "They know everything!". Toph gripped the ground and the metal bridge fell apart.

Immediately Katar created a wall out of water between the ships and brought them further away. Toreth saw that Aang was held back by Sokka, so he was awake.

Suddenly they heard a scream. A big serpent towered above them. The other ship shot a burning ball towards them but hit the serpent. Enraged it started to attack the other ship and they could flee.

Toreth leaned again the metal wall and took a deep breath. Katara and her father came up to her. Unison they asked, "Toreth! You alright?".

She turned to them and smiled, "Yes, I think so. I- I just want to… stand still for a moment, I feel like everything's turning round and round and round...", suddenly she fell to her side. Hakoda caught her up and looked at her worriedly. With a very stern expression he said, "I will bring you back to your cabin. You need rest."

"Only if you are going to visit me later.", she stated before she passed out in his arms. Worriedly he looked at Katara. She nodded.

In total silence they walked through the floors, Hakoda carrying the unconscious Toreth in his arms. He laid her down in her bed cautiously and then turned to Katara, "Did she . . . have anything, is she hurt?"

"I don't know,", she said angrily making her way to her father's lover, "I did not take a look on her since she awakened, and back then she was not hurt.", suddenly sorry she added, "but perhaps,..."

"Perhaps what?"

"She did not tell you yet, did she?"

"Tell me what, Katara?"

"Actually I did not want to tell you, because she should be, but it could be something with...", she trailed off, worriedly undressing Toreth's stomach.

"Katara?"

She turned to her father and looked down to the ground, "She did not tell you that she's pregnant, did she?", she asked almost silent.

"What?", he could not believe, what his daughter just said. He had thought about grandchildren and him and Toreth playing with them, but never had he thought that he should become a father again.

"Toreth is with twins, Dad.", and with more venom in her voice Katara suddenly shouted at him, tears in her eyes, "You did not think about it, right? You just slept with her without thinking that she's not as old as you, that she's young. That she might wanted something different in her life!"

"Katara, please.", he choked out.

"No, I'm not going to stop. I just began...", but she was cut off by a hand pulling on her dress from behind. Toreth watched her with pleading eyes, her other hand cringed over her stomach. She only managed to whisper, "Katara, please… you must save them, you have to, Katara, please, save them."


	12. Chapter 12

Katara wanted her father out, but he stayed, no matter what she said. She tried to heal the unconscious woman before her the best she could, at the end she passed out from total exhaustion.

When she awoke again her father stood above her looking worried, just a little glance of light returned to his eyes when he noticed that she was awake.

"Dad, … I tried to… I really tried to...", she was cut off by her own tears. Her father laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, "I know you did Katara, and Toreth knows as well."

"Really? Is she awake?", she asked but her father's expression darkened again.

"She is not dead, is she? Please say she is not!",

"No, I think she lives, but…", he trailed off.

"You don't say there's something with the babies, do you?"

"No, Katara. It is just, Toreth did not give any sign of living aside from breathing, I don't know if that's such a good sign and personally I don't think so.",

"Oh...", she said, "I'm sorry.", her father hugged her tightly, "Shh, every one knows you did the best you could, no matter what happens.". They sat for a while in comfortable silence, one holding each other.

Then suddenly an idea struck Katara's mind. "Maybe it will help her if we get her on some earth, you know get plants around her." , her voice faded when she realized what she just said and how childish it must have sounded.

Hakoda looked at his daughter, how she lost all hope she had in a minute. He grabbed her shoulders and looked her in the eyes, "Katara, no matter what happens, if she's better or not, we cannot take her with us."

"What why? Do you just want to leave her alone? She's not in such a good condition."

"No, of course I don't want to leave her, but she's pregnant and we are going to war. Most probably she will die or have a miscarriage if she travels with us. So we need a safe place for her to heal."

"Do you think of somewhere?"

"Actually there are these nuns where we left Bato when he was wounded, I think we can be there in two days or so. They will help her, I'm sure."

And indeed two days they needed until they reached their destination. Toreth did not wake up during the time on the ship, but as they laid her down in one of the Sister's room she opened her eyes. She saw Hakoda and both of his children standing above her and smiled at their worried faces. As they noticed her being awake they sat on her bedside in an instant. "Hello", Toreth greeted them. Relieved that she was conscious again they smiled at each other. Then Bato's head appeared in the doorway, "Chief, we gotta go or we gonna be late.".

Toreth looked at Hakoda questioningly, "W-Why do you have to go? Where do you go? Why are you leaving me behind?", she started to cry what nearly threw his heart apart.

"Toreth,", he said in the calmest tone he managed, "We are going to attack the Fire Nation in a few weeks. We figured it would be too dangerous for you and the children, so we thought of this place. You will stay here and the sisters will take a good care of you. No matter how it all will end, you and the children will be fine."

"I want to come with you.", she whispered, "I want to stay by your side.".

"I know,", he had now to be careful not to cry too, "I want to stay with you as well, but I can't, you need to stay here, you need to be safe.", he kissed her head.

"So this is Goodbye?", she asked while tears streamed down her face. "Yes, I guess so.", he looked to his children and they immediately understood.

"Goodbye Toreth, I really hope we meet again.", Katara managed, nearly crying herself. Sokka took her hand in his, "Goodbye Toreth, I think you will be a great mother."

"Thanks Sokka," , Toreth smiled threw her tears, "I can't wait to see you two again.".

Then the siblings left the room so the adults got a little privacy. For moments both were silent, then Hakoda started, "I love you, you know? I really wish I could stay."

"I know. I love you too, Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe."

"Back on the ship it looked like you would die. You can't imagine how afraid I was to loose you."

"I'm sorry. I don't know what happened, I just felt so dizzy somehow."

Then after a long break she added, "Hakoda, you have to promise me something. Promise me that you will be back. Promise me that you will watch over them as well as over yourself. I know you want to look after them and make sure they are safe, but don't forget your own health, I know you would do so, but they are brave, and if something happens to you they will be far more hurt than any weapon could manage. And now go, you're gonna be late.".

They smiled sadly at each other then he bent down and kissed her for a long moment and afterward left the room.


	13. Chapter 13

_I'm sorry, I didn't update like ever. I consider myself the worst person ever, but I just started studying and so time passed so quickly…. Have mercy with me._

The nuns took good care of her. Toreth would have enjoyed her stay, but she was worried about Hakoda, Sokka and Katara, actually about Aang too, and she was bored.

For nearly three long months she just sat and laid around, reading religious texts, watching the nuns and sometimes playing with plants. She called that training, but she knew, it wouldn't be enough if they were attacked, but the nuns did not allow her to do more.

One night she turned and tossed in her bed.

When she was younger she often dreamed the very same nightmare. She was again a little girl, wandering the woods with her mother.

Then her mother turned down to her. She said, "Wait here. I'll go, meet your dad, then we will come back, okay?", with this transcending voice she ever had in her memories. Toreth nodded happily and said down, singing some childish songs and waited for her mother to come back to her. She was quite exited that she would meet her father, for she didn't know him at all.

The little girl's singing stopped when the light slowly faded and night surrounded her. She was scared, so she began to hesitantly calling for her mother. Toreth walked a few steps and suddenly she saw red light and she heard voices she didn't know.

Slowly she stepped out of the woods and into the bright light when she saw it. There was a huge pile of wood, she wondered what for. On it's top was a small tree without any leaves. _Poor tree,_ she thought. Didn't these people know that trees can't grow on wood?

A lot of these people stood around the pile, burning sticks in their hands. A few of them were clothed red, but the majority was clothed green and brownish.

Then she saw her mother. She was locked in an iron cage, with a massive iron bottom. Toreth's eyes widened in fear. She knew what would happen, it happened every time again and again.

They moved the cage until it was high up on the pile. And then they took one of the burning sticks and set the pile on fire. Toreth watched in horror as the flames reached up higher and higher. She could hear her mother scream in fear until she saw her.

As her mother saw her, her eyes widened and slowly she moved her lips, spelling one last word to her little daughter, _flee._

Toreth remembered how one of the humans turned and looked at her. Immediately she knew that this man was her father. He had the same dark green eyes as she had. He pointed at her and screamed something, she didn't fully understand. The next thing she remembered was her running through the woods, her mothers' screams ringing in her ears, crying. But she didn't allowed herself to stop until everything became black.

But this time she didn't wake up. Out of the dark she still heard her mother scream.

Her screams transformed to another voice. It sounded a lot more like crying now. She couldn't identify the voice right away, the crying changed it, but she knew it from somewhere.

Suddenly the right answer shot threw her head, and now she could even make out words. It was Katara! _"Toreth… if you could only be here… we need you..."_

When she woke up the words still circled around in her mind. _They need me_. So she packed her things and sneaked out of her room without the nuns noticing. No matter what, she would be there if they needed her.


	14. Chapter 14

_Author's Note: It's good to be back, thanks for the review ;) I reread the last chapter and got aware of the fact that I used "ever" very frequently in the Author's Note...sorry for that. I hope you all enjoy the story so far and please review !_

It was surprisingly easy for Toreth to enter the Fire Nation. They didn't even ask for passports. This couldn't be a good sign at all. Or they felt far too safe.

Sitting at the edge of the ferry she watched her image flying over the water. She remembered the first time she had ever been on a boat not long ago with Hakoda. A smile crept slowly on her face as her gaze wandered to her swollen stomach. It was a somehow creepy, yet welcome and warm thought that she would never be alone again, that there would be something that stayed in this world, even if she should fade away. _Two things, actually._

Toreth wondered where Hakoda was. Her dream had worried her even more and not a moment was she free from this sorrow.

Soon they saw the island. It was totally silent when they entered the harbor. Then they heard fighting. Explosions, screams, metal taring flesh apart.

No one from the ferry wanted to leave except the dryad. The captain tried to hold her back but she shot him a glare and he backed down. She got off the boat and wasn't surprised at all as it just left as fast and silently as it could.

Toreth turned towards the fighting and listened closely if she could make out any specific voices. She was irritated for a moment when she couldn't hear neither Katara, Sokka nor Hakoda. Then she heard it. It sounded exactly like her dream, just far far away, but it were the same words.

"...we need you...", she followed the words, not caring about the fighting or if she would be seen. Walking as fast as she could she followed a small trail up to several small towers. The first was almost covered in ice, which told her that Katara was definitely here. She turned to the second and saw what she feared most.

Sokka was standing next to a sitting Katara. Even from the distance she could see that Sokka was as close as one could be to collapsing. He stood only shakily and obviously didn't know what to do. Katara was crying. She sat next to a laying body, Hakoda's body. Tears shot into Toreth's eyes. She watched how he took Katara's hand and whispered something to his daughter. Tears streamed down Toreth's face as she hesitantly approached them. If he was too seriously wounded, she didn't want to disturb his, probably, last words.

Sokka turned around, wanting to lead the invasion, now that his father wasn't able to do so, but stopped when he saw her. He stepped up to her and tried to stop her, "Toreth, what are you doing here?", as she didn't answer, just continued on her way he tried again, this time holding her shoulders, "Toreth, don't go there."

Faster than he expected her to be able she turned around, slapping his arms away, a stern expression on her face, while the tears still streamed down her cheeks. Sokka took a step back, then continued to do, what he did before he saw her.

The dryad silently approached the girl and sat down beside her. Katara didn't notice her until Toreth touched her hand. Then the girl's head shot up and she stared at the woman next to her. "Toreth, what...", she began but trailed off as a single sob shook her shoulders, looking down at her father's body she whispered, "I tried to… I really tried to….". Toreth wasn't able to speak. She wanted to say something, to comfort the water tribe girl, but she didn't manage a single word, so she just hugged her instead. Katara immediately began to cry and clench onto Toreth's dress.

They stayed like this for a few moments, until they were interrupted by a silent whisper and a hand reaching up, "Toreth? Are you there?", Hakoda's eyes stared blindly at the sky, but a single tear escaped and rolled down his cheek.

Both women immediately turned and stared at him for a second, then Toreth caught his upreaching hand and bent down to his face. She kissed the tear away and whispered, "Yes, I am here, we are here.", she led his hand to her belly and another tear escaped his eyes. "Didn't I tell you that you should watch over yourself?", she asked.

"Didn't I tell you to stay with the nuns?", he answered, a smile forming on his face.

"And there I thought I was too late.", she said, now smiling too.

"Don't you endanger the children?"

"I don't think so. Now shut up.", she smiled happily while a green light emerged her hand traveling over his arm until it found the wound and covered it. Moments later the color turned back on his face and he opened his eyes sleepily. The first thing he saw was Katara hugging his lover. She cried into Toreth's shoulder, overwhelmed by her feelings. Toreth shove her away, "Do you have bandages with you, Katara?".

"Yes. Why? It's nothing with the children, is it?", the girl's voice was still shaking.

"No, nothing about them. It's just, I wasn't able to fully heal your father. The wound still needs to be threatened. I didn't want to risk having... a miscarriage or something...", the girl only nodded and began searching her bag.


	15. Chapter 15

_Author's Note: Aww, thanks for all the sweet reviews. Of course Toreth and Katara are cool, they just don't have a moment to loose ;) I'm afraid, Toreth and Hakoda don't really have enough time to „fix" their relationship as the invasion is still going on…Please Review!_

After they threatened Hakoda's wound Toreth wanted to come with them but the others refused, saying it would be far too dangerous. Finally they agreed that she would hide in a tree until the fight was over.

Unfortunately there weren't so many trees in the Fire Nation capital. They were almost at the harbor when they found one. Katara and Hakoda wondered at Toreth obviously vanishing into the tree. But not for long, the battle required their attention.

Meanwhile Sokka, Aang and Toph were fighting Azula in the dungeons. As the fire bending returned they started to retreat. They didn't know what to do but Azula kept fighting. She followed them through the hole Toph created and down to the harbor. The Fire Nation Princess shot lightning at them on and on. One was directed straight to Aang's chest, but the little monk evaded.

The lightning hit a lonely standing tree. Immediately a huge piece of bark broke. Sokka wouldn't have noticed it if he didn't saw a figure forming next to the tree. Shocked he just stared as the Toreth tumbled out of the tree which slowly began burning. The hem of her dress was on fire.

She collapsed next to the tree. That second movement returned into Sokka's features and he ran up to her.

Azula saw this as a welcomed chance to eliminate one of her opponents and started to create another lightning. Toreth's eyelids flattered. She saw Sokka running towards her and Azula behind him. He obviously didn't notice her. Quickly she rolled over and, ignoring her burning hem, she buried her hand deep into the ground. The same second roots shot out a few feet before her and slung themselves around Azula. The Princess fell backwards and Toph shove her back through the hole. Then she shut it again.

Toreth breathed heavily when Sokka reached her. First he put the fire on her dress out, then he knelt down next to her. "Toreth,", he looked into her eyes and saw only agony and pain in these dark green eyes. Somehow he remembered those eyes, but it wasn't Toreth he remembered,… Someone from the Earth Kingdom. Then she passed out. Sokka caught her before she hit the ground. He paniced but didn't move until Aang came.

The Avatar paniced too. He had sent Toph to get the others, but now that he saw the unconscious dryad he wished he ran himself. He sprang around them, hysterically saying, how sorry he was. At the end he fell to his knees crying.

 _Author's Note (again): I know, it's a little bit short, but it "has" to end here ;) You'll see (maybe) in the next chapter..._


	16. Chapter 16

_Author's Note: Sorry for the long gap again. As I wrote to the readers of "to be his sun", I really hope I can keep the promise to update more regularly. Though I'm slightly proud of myself concerning the picture I drew for this story. Now, let's go on with it, I left you with this mean cliffhanger for too long. Please Review!_

Toreth awoke in a small room. It wasn't her room in the abbey, the stone was far older and lighter in color. Also, her bed was not as high as the one she had in the abbey.

She carefully sat up and looked around. Where was she? Was she in a prison? Her back ached, the dryad looked down on her body, her belly had grown a little, but still it was too early for that ache to be labor. Toreth sunk back on her elbows, having a closer look at herself. Everything was where it had to be, nothing was lost. So far, so good.

Her muscles tensed when she heard steps outside. Slow, light steps, steps that almost lost all hope. This couldn't be a prison guard, could it?

The door opened and Katara stood in the doorway. Her tired eyes met Toreths' and jumping a little backwards she let go of the water bowl she had held. Toreth couldn't help but laugh at this reaction. It felt good, and for sure it was the first time since Hakoda left her with the nuns. Getting her composure back Katara hastily bended the water back into the bowl, came in and closed the door behind her. She sat down beside Toreth's bed and looked at her, her blue eyes filled with wonder.

Toreth decided to speak first, "Hello there, I just awaked, but I'm not feeling any pain. What have I missed?", that caused Katara to snap out of her trance-like stare. "We had to retrieve, the invasion failed and only us, Aang, Sokka, Toph and some others could escape on Appa. Now we hide here, in the western Air Temple. You were unconscious for almost ten days now. I almost thought you wouldn't make it…", she trailed off. Toreth's eyes had widened in fear as she listened to the girl, "You left the others? What happened to them? Where is your father?", "I don't know…", Toreth wanted to ask further but stopped herself when she saw the tears in Katara's eyes. It must be a torment for her too. Hesitantly she asked, "Can I stand, or is there something…" her gaze wandered to her unborn twins and Katara's eyes lit up as she understood. "Just a second, I'll check on them."

The young waterbender's hands took the water off the bowl and it formed around her fingers. She laid her hands on the other woman's belly and a soft blue light emerged them. "They are not hurt, not is anything around them. Have you thought of any names yet?", the question startled Toreth. She hadn't thought that far in the future, yet it seemed so close. "No… Can you see what gender they have?", with a smile Katara told her while putting the water back, "Yes, one of them is a girl with pinky ears, just like yours, the other one's a boy with normal ears."

Toreth watched as Katara left her with that information. How should she name her children? The thought made her feel old somehow. And which naming traditions should she follow? Hers or those of the southern water tribe? Would Hakoda be mad at her if she chose the names without him? All those questions circled around in her head, she thought she figured out answers to a few of them a while later and wanted to go out and tell Katara and Sokka, when she heard explosions from the outside.

 _Author's second note: What do you think of that? How should Toreth name her children? I think I have a solution, but maybe one of you has a better idea?_


End file.
